Template‐free Fabrication of Hierarchical Macro‐/mesoporous N‐doped TiO2/graphene Oxide Composites with Enhanced Visible‐light Photocatalytic Activity

Hierarchical macro‐/mesoporous N‐doped TiO₂/graphene oxide (N‐TiO₂/GO) composites were prepared without using templates by the simple dropwise addition mixed solution of tetrabutyl titanate and ethanol containg graphene oxide (GO) to the ammonia solution, and then calcined at 350 °C. The as‐prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface area, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in an aqueous solution under visible‐light irradiation. The results show that N‐TiO₂/GO composites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity. GO content exhibited an obvious influence on photocatalytic performance, and the optimal GO addition content was 1 wt%. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the synergetic effects of three factors including the improved visible light absorption, the hierarchical macro‐mesoporous structure, and the efficient charge separation by GO.     

Template‐free Fabrication of ZnS/TiO2 Photocatalyst with Macrochannels

Constructing a porous structure in photocatalysts is an effective strategy for improving the photocatalytic activity because of its enhanced molecule transfer capability and light capturing efficiency. In this work, a hierarchical macro‐/mesoporous ZnS/TiO₂ composite with macrochannels was successfully synthesized without using templates by the simple dropwise addition of an ethanol solution of tetrabutyl titanate and zinc acetate into a sodium sulfide aqueous solution, which was then calcined at 450°C. Compared with pure TiO₂, the ordered porous ZnS/TiO₂ composite exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic activity on methylene blue removal under UV‐light irradiation. The results indicate that the macro‐/mesoporous structure, the large specific surface area, and the heterostructure combination between ZnS and TiO₂ play a synergistic effect on the enhanced photocatalytic activity via improving the light absorption and the diffusion of organic molecules, providing more reactive sites for the photocatalytic reaction and improving the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, respectively. Radical trapping experiments demonstrated that holes (h⁺) and superoxide anion radicals (O₂⁻) play an important role in the photocatalytic oxidation process.     

Preparation of Ce-Zr-O solid solution

A single phase solid solution of Ce-Zr-O can be made by using NH₄HCO₃ solution as precipitating agent. The influence of preparation conditions, such as pH, Zr⁴⁺/(CO₃ ^2-+HCO₃ ^-) and Ce³⁺/Zr⁴⁺ ratio on the formation of the solid solution were investigated. The results show that a single phase Ce-Zr-O solid solution can be formed only under a narrow window of preparation conditions, indicating that some compounds are formed in the precipitating process. The compound may contain Ce³⁺, Zr⁴⁺, CO₃ ^2-, HCO^3-, and OH^-. The solid solution so prepared can be described as Ce_0.37Zr_0.63O₂. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Effect of pH Values on the Synthesis,Microstructure and Photocatalytic Activity of Ce‐Bi2O3 by a Two‐Step Hydrothermal Method

In this study, the effect of pH values on the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of Ce‐Bi₂O₃ under visible light irradiation was investigated in detail. In alkaline condition (e.g. pH = 9), the as‐prepared Ce‐Bi₂O₃ exhibited an agglomerated status and mesoporous structures without a long‐range order. While in weak acid condition (e.g. pH = 5), the Ce‐Bi₂O₃ exhibited a best morphology with irregular nanosheets. Correspondingly, it possessed largest surface area (24.641 m² g^?1) and pore volume (9.825E‐02 cm³ g^?1). These unique nanosheets can offer an attachment for pollutant molecules and reduce the distance of electron immigration from inner to surface, thus facilitating the separation of photoelectron and hole pairs. Compared with the pure Bi₂O₃, the band gap of Ce‐Bi₂O₃ prepared at different pH was much lower. Among them, the band gap of Ce‐Bi₂O₃ (pH of 5) was lowest (2.61 eV). Ce‐Bi₂O₃ (pH of 5) exhibited as tetragonal crystal with the bismuth oxide in the form of the composites, which could reduce the band gap width or suppress the charge‐carrier recombination, subsequently possessing great photocatalytic activity for acid orange II under visible light irradiation. After 2 h degradation under visible light, the degradation rate of acid Orange II was up to 96.44% by Ce‐Bi₂O₃ prepared at pH 5. Overall, it can be concluded that the pH values had effects on the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of Ce‐Bi₂O₃ catalysts.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Photocatalytic Properties of Bismuth (III)‐benzene‐1,3,5‐tricarboxylate

{[Bi(BTC)(H₂O)₂] · H₂O}_n (H₃BTC = 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylic acid) was synthesized by an eco‐friendly hydrothermal method and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and thermogravimetric analyses. The complex featured a 3D metal‐organic framework with Bi₂ secondary building units. In the complex, the central Bi³⁺ is nine‐coordinate, three central Bi atoms and three BTC^3– anions are interconnected into a ring with the dimension of 7.95 × 9.89 Ų. Moreover, the complex is decomposed at over 388 °C, showing its highly thermal stability. Further, the complex exhibits photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) solution under UV light irradiation, and its structure can keep consistent with the original one after 9 h photocatalytic reaction, indicating that it is also very stable under UV light. Therefore, it could be anticipated the novel coordination complex will be a stable ultraviolet light catalyst.     

Synthesis of Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript> doped ordered mesoporous TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity and highly crystallized anatase wall

Fe³⁺ doped mesoporous TiO₂ with ordered mesoporous structure were successfully prepared by the solvent evaporation-induced self-assembly process using P123 as soft template. The properties and structure of Fe³⁺ doped mesoporous TiO₂ were characterized by means of XRD, EPR, BET, TEM, and UV–vis absorption spectra. The characteristic results clearly show that the amount of Fe³⁺ dopant affects the mesoporous structure as well as the visible light absorption of the catalysts. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared mesoporous TiO₂ was evaluated from an analysis of the photodegradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The results indicate that the sample of 0.50%Fe–MTiO₂ exhibits the highest visible light photocatalytic activity compared with other catalysts.     

Enhanced visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic activity of F doped reduced graphene oxide ‐ Bi2WO6 photocatalyst

The reduced graphene oxide‐Bi₂WO₆ (rGO‐BWO) photocatalysts with the different R_F/O values (molar ratio of the F molar mass and the O's molar mass of Bi₂WO₆) had been successfully synthesized via one‐step hydrothermal method. The F‐doped rGO‐BWO samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction patterns (XRD), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐ESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (BET), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The results indicate that F^? ions had been successfully doped into rGO‐BWO samples. With the increasing of the R_F/O values from 0 to 2%, the evident change of the morphology and the absorption edges of F‐doped rGO‐BWO samples and the photocatalytic activities had been enhanced. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of F‐doped rGO‐BWO with R_F/O = 0.05 were better than rGO‐BWO and the other F‐doped rGO‐BWO under 500 W Xe lamp light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the morphology of the intact microsphere that signify the bigger specific surface area for providing more possible reaction sites for the adsorption–desorption equilibrium of photocatalytic reaction, the introduction of F^? ions that may cause the enhancement of surface acidity and creation of oxygen vacancies under visible light irradiation, the narrower band gap which means needing less energy for the electron hole pair transition.     

Ceria–Zirconia Nanoparticles as an Enhanced Multi‐Antioxidant for Sepsis Treatment

The two oxidation states of ceria nanoparticles, Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺, play a pivotal role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, Ce³⁺ is largely responsible for removing O₂⁻ and ^.OH that are associated with inflammatory response and cell death. The synthesis is reported of 2 nm ceria–zirconia nanoparticles (CZ NPs) that possess a higher Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ ratio and faster conversion from Ce⁴⁺ to Ce³⁺ than those exhibited by ceria nanoparticles. The obtained Ce_0.7Zr_0.3O₂ (7CZ) NPs greatly improve ROS scavenging performance, thus regulating inflammatory cells in a very low dose. Moreover, 7CZ NPs are demonstrated to be effective in reducing mortality and systemic inflammation in two representative sepsis models. These findings suggest that 7CZ NPs have the potential as a therapeutic nanomedicine for treating ROS‐related inflammatory diseases.     

Mesoporous mesocrystal Ce1−xZrxO2 with enhanced catalytic property for CO conversion

Novel mesoporous mesocrystal Ce_1−xZr_xO₂ was synthesized using acetate salt as inorganic species and P123 as surfactant. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the wall framework consists of a single phase based on the face-centered cubic CeO₂ and the nanocrystals are highly oriented with the crystal axis [001] parallel to the pore channel if the Zr⁴⁺ molar fraction x is 0.3 or less. However, when the Zr⁴⁺ molar fraction is larger than 0.3, a mixture of cubic and tetragonal phases forms and the preferential crystal orientation disappears as revealed by XRD and Raman measurements. The formation mechanism is ascribed to the oriented attachment following the manner of coherent interface. The single phase solid solution at Zr⁴⁺ molar fraction 0.3 demonstrates the best catalytic performance for CO conversion due to the unique mesoporous mesocrystal structure with dominant exposure of highly active {200} planes and an enhanced redox property caused by adequate Zr⁴⁺ incorporation.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of Mg‐Impregnated ZnO–SnO2 Coupled Nanoparticles

ZnO–SnO₂ nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation method; then Mg, with different molar ratios and calcination temperatures, was loaded on the coupled nanoparticles by impregnation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) techniques. Based on XRD results, the ZnO–SnO₂ and Mg/ZnO–SnO₂ nanoparticles were made of ZnO and SnO₂ nanocrystallites. According to DRS spectra, the band gap energy value of 3.13 and 3.18 eV were obtained for ZnO–SnO₂ and Mg/ZnO–SnO₂ nanoparticles, respectively. BET analysis revealed a Type III isotherm with a microporous structure and surface area of 32.051 and 49.065 m² g^?1 for ZnO–SnO₂ and Mg/ZnO–SnO₂, respectively. Also, the spherical shape of nanocrystallites was deduced from TEM and FESEM images. The photocatalytic performance of pure ZnO–SnO₂ and Mg/ZnO–SnO₂ was analyzed in the photocatalytic removal of methyl orange (MO). The results indicated that Mg/ZnO–SnO₂ exhibited superior photocatalytic activity to bare ZnO–SnO₂ photocatalyst due to high surface area, increased MO adsorption and larger band gap energy. Maximum photocatalytic activity of Mg/ZnO–SnO₂ nanoparticles was obtained with 0.8 mol% Mg and calcination temperature of 350°C.     

Efficient Noble‐Metal‐Free γ‐Fe2O3@NiO Core–Shell Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Water Oxidation

Flowerlike noble‐metal‐free γ‐Fe₂O₃@NiO core–shell hierarchical nanostructures have been fabricated and examined as a catalyst in the photocatalytic oxidation of water with [Ru(bpy)₃](ClO₄)₂ as a photosensitizer and Na₂S₂O₈ as a sacrificial electron acceptor. An apparent TOF of 0.29 μmols^?1 m^?2 and oxygen yield of 51 % were obtained with γ‐Fe₂O₃@NiO. The γ‐Fe₂O₃@NiO core–shell hierarchical nanostructures could be easily separated from the reaction solution whilst maintaining excellent water‐oxidation activity in the fourth and fifth runs. The surface conditions of γ‐Fe₂O₃@NiO also remained unchanged after the photocatalytic reaction, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).     

Thermal analysis of doped Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

New environmentally inorganic pigments based on Bi₂O₃ doped by metal ions, such as Zr⁴⁺ and Dy³⁺ have been developed and characterized using the methods thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and spectral reflectance data. The compounds having formula Bi_2−x Dy _x/2Zr_3x/8O₃ (x = 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, and 1.2) were prepared by the solid state reaction. Methods of thermal analysis were used for determination of the temperature region of the pigment formation and thermal stability of compounds. The incorporation of doped ions in Bi₂O₃ changes the color from yellow to orange and also contributes to a growth of their thermal stability. This property gives a direction for coloring ceramic glazes.     

Catalytic Properties of Nanoscale Iron‐Doped Zirconia Solid‐Solution Aerogels

Nanoscale iron‐doped zirconia solid‐solution aerogels are prepared via a simple ethanol thermal route using zirconyl nitrate and iron nitrate as starting materials, followed by a supercritical fluid drying process. Structural characteristics are investigated by means of powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analyses (TG/DTA), N₂ adsorption measurements and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The results show that the resulting iron‐doped solid solutions are metastable tetragonal zirconia which exhibit excellent dispersibility and high solubility of iron oxide. Further, when the Fe:(Fe+Zr) ratio x is lower than 0.10, all of the Fe³⁺ ions can be incorporated into ZrO₂ by substituting Zr⁴⁺ to form Zr_1?xFe_xO_y solid solutions. Moreover, for the first time, an additional hydroxyl group band that is not present in pure ZrO₂ is observed by DRIFTS for the Zr(Fe)O₂ solid solution. This is direct evidence of Fe³⁺ ions incorporated into ZrO₂. These Zr_1?xFe_xO_y solid solutions are excellent catalysts for the solvent‐free aerobic oxidation of n‐hexadecane using air as the oxidant under ambient conditions. The Zr_0.8Fe_0.2O_y solid‐solution catalyst demonstrates the best catalytic properties, with the conversion of n‐hexadecane reaching 36.2 % with 48 % selectivity for ketones and 24 % selectivity for alcohols and it can be recycled five times without significant loss of activity.     

Preparation of the Monolith of Hierarchical Macro‐/Mesoporous Calcium Silicate Ultrathin Nanosheets with Low Thermal Conductivity by Means of Ambient‐Pressure Drying

Calcium silicate monolith was prepared by the hydrothermal reaction of a slurry of SiO₂, calcium hydroxide, and surfactant (OP‐10) obtained by high‐energy ball milling, followed by drying at ambient pressure. By using this strategy, the shrinkage due to the collapse of pores during the drying of porous materials, which is a commonly observed phenomena, was successfully avoided. It has a unique microstructure of hierarchical macro‐/mesoporous ultrathin calcium silicate nanosheets with a layered gyrolite crystalline structure. Very interestingly, the calcium silicate nanosheets can be peeled off to give a single‐layer nanosheet (1.23 nm) of gyrolite by ultrasonication. The monolith has a low apparent density (0.073 g cm^?3) and low thermal conductivity (0.0399 W K^?1 m^?1). The reasons behind why the formation of the unique hierarchical macro‐/mesoporous ultrathin nanosheets avoids shrinkage during the hydrothermal reaction and drying, and considerably decreases the thermal conductivity, is discussed.     

Encapsulating Sulfur into Hierarchically Ordered Porous Carbon as a High‐Performance Cathode for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

A three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical carbon–sulfur nanocomposite that is useful as a high‐performance cathode for rechargeable lithium–sulfur batteries is reported. The 3D hierarchically ordered porous carbon (HOPC) with mesoporous walls and interconnected macropores was prepared by in situ self‐assembly of colloidal polymer and silica spheres with sucrose as the carbon source. The obtained porous carbon possesses a large specific surface area and pore volume with narrow mesopore size distribution, and acts as a host and conducting framework to contain highly dispersed elemental sulfur. Electrochemical tests reveal that the HOPC/S nanocomposite with well‐defined nanostructure delivers a high initial specific capacity up to 1193 mAh g^?1 and a stable capacity of 884 mAh g^?1 after 50 cycles at 0.1 C. In addition, the HOPC/S nanocomposite exhibits high reversible capacity at high rates. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed exclusively to the beneficial integration of the mesopores for the electrochemical reaction and macropores for ion transport. The mesoporous walls of the HOPC act as solvent‐restricted reactors for the redox reaction of sulfur and aid in suppressing the diffusion of polysulfide species into the electrolyte. The “open” ordered interconnected macropores and windows facilitate transportation of electrolyte and solvated lithium ions during the charge/discharge process. These results show that nanostructured carbon with hierarchical pore distribution could be a promising scaffold for encapsulating sulfur to approach high specific capacity and energy density with long cycling performance.     

Thermal analysis of pigments based on Bi2O3

The synthesis of new pigments based on Bi₂O₃ is investigated because they give interesting orange hues and can substitute the pigments problematic from the environmental point of view. Chemical compounds of the Bi_2–xZr_3x/4O₃ type were synthesized. The host lattice of these pigments is Bi₂O₃ that is doped by Zr⁴⁺ ions. The area of ZrO₂ solubility in Bi₂O₃ at 800°C forming solid solution of both oxides was studied. The incorporation of doped ions provides interesting colours and contributes to a growth of the thermal stability of these compounds. The simultaneous TG-DTA measurements were used for determination of the temperature region of the pigment formation and thermal stability of pigments.     

Influence of Ce0.35Zr0.55La0.10O1.95 Solid Solution on the Performance of Low Pt-Rh Three-way Catalysts

Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 solid solution was prepared by coprecipitation technique and characterized by specific surface area measurements (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and temperature-programmed (TP) technique. Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 was used to prepare low Pt-Rh three-way catalyst (TWC) and its influence on the performance of TWC was investigated. The results showed that Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 had a cubic structure similar to Ce_0.50Zr_0.50O₂ and a large specific area after calcined at 600 °C for 5 h. Furthermore, after being aged at 1000 °C for 5 h, Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 still maintained a stable cubic structure and a specific surface area of 47.25 m²·g⁻¹. The results of H₂-TPR and O₂-TPO indicated that Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 had good redox properties. The catalyst containing Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 possessed a fairly wide range of three-way working-windows, good low-temperature light-off properties, and better ability of water-gas shift. Being hydrothermally aged at 1000 °C, the catalyst containing Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 still showed good catalytic activity in comparison with Ce_0.50Zr_0.50O₂ TWC, which indicated that Ce_0.35Zr_0.55La_0.10O_1.95 improved the anti-aging properties of the catalyst.     

Nitrides with Inverse K2[NiF4] Structure: (R1–xCa3+xN1–x/3)Bi2 with R = Rare‐Earth Metal

The novel nitrides (R_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ (with R = La, Ce, Pr) crystallize in the K₂[NiF₄] structure type (I4/mmm, No. 139, Z = 2). Samples (La_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ with x = 0.10, 0.05, 0.00, (Ce_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ with x = 0.30, and (PrCa₃N)Bi₂ were obtained as single phase microcrystalline powders according to X‐ray diffraction and the crystal structure details were derived from Rietveld refinements based on X‐ray and neutron diffraction powder patterns. A partial order of R³⁺/Ca²⁺ on two crystallographic sites is governed by different ionic radii and charges. (La_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ and (Ce_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ exhibit small homogeneity ranges and typically a nitrogen deficiency. In contrast, for (PrCa₃N)Bi₂ no indications for a significant homogeneity range or deficiency of nitrogen was observed. (La_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ with x = 0.05 is a diamagnet. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the CeL₃‐edge as well as magnetic susceptibility measurements evidence that (Ce_1–xCa_3+xN_1–x/3)Bi₂ with x = 0.30 contains Ce³⁺ in the 4f¹ configuration. According to electrical resistivity data, samples from all three systems are heavily doped semiconductors.     

Synthesis of ceria–zirconia mixed oxide from cerium and zirconium glycolates via sol–gel process and its reduction property

Ceria–zirconia mixed oxide was successfully synthesized via the sol–gel process at ambient temperature, followed by calcination at 500, 700 and 900 °C. The synthesis parameters, such as alkoxide concentration, aging time and heating temperature, were studied to obtain the most uniform and remarkably high‐surface‐area cubic‐phase mixed oxides. The thermal stability of both oxides was enhanced by mutual substitution. Surface areas of the Ce_xZr_1?xO₂ powders were improved by increasing ceria content, and their thermal stability was increased by the incorporation of ZrO₂. The most stable cubic‐phase solid solutions were obtained in the Ce range above 50 mol%. The highest surface area was obtained from the mixed catalyst containing a ceria content of 90 mol% (200 m²/g). Temperature programmed reduction results show that increasing the amount of Zr in the mixed oxides results in a decrease in the reduction temperature, and that the splitting of the support reduction process into two peaks depends on CeO₂ content. The CO oxidation activity of samples was found to be related to its composition. The activity of catalysts for this reaction decreased with a decrease in Zr amount in cubic phase catalysts. Ce₆Zr₄O₂ exhibited the highest activity for CO oxidation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Visualization of Heterogeneous Oxygen Storage Behavior in Platinum‐Supported Cerium‐Zirconium Oxide Three‐Way Catalyst Particles by Hard X‐ray Spectro‐Ptychography

The cerium density and valence in micrometer‐size platinum‐supported cerium–zirconium oxide Pt/Ce₂Zr₂O_x (x=7–8) three‐way catalyst particles were successfully mapped by hard X‐ray spectro‐ptychography (ptychographic‐X‐ray absorption fine structure, XAFS). The analysis of correlation between the Ce density and valence in ptychographic‐XAFS images suggested the existence of several oxidation behaviors in the oxygen storage process in the Ce₂Zr₂O_x particles. Ptychographic‐XAFS will open up the nanoscale chemical imaging and structural analysis of heterogeneous catalysts.